We were honored to have been hosted at a cocktail reception, held by His Excellency Rune Skinnebach, Ambassador of the Delegation to the European Union to Malawi at the European Union Residence commemorating the launch of the Music4Malawi project launch. The purpose of this event was to launch the 2nd cohort of Music4Malawi.
We had a Bants2Business x #TheresaTalk pop-up at the #M4M launch; conversations about what it is going to take to make Malawian music go global – a chat with industry leaders and players.
The panel discussion featuring Tay Grin addressed key issues in the creative sector, with a focus on the Malawian music industry. Tay Grin began by expressing his pride and happiness in witnessing the new changes occurring in the industry.
One of the main topics discussed was education and the absence of art in the Malawian education system. Tay Grin emphasized this issue, highlighting the need for the inclusion of art in the education curriculum. The facilitator of the discussion, Theresa Phondo, emphasized the importance of addressing the creative sector’s problems through dialogue and conversation.
Shadreck Kuntengo, a representative from COSOMA, stressed the necessity of investing in the creative sector. He pointed out that artists can only truly benefit from their work if there is adequate investment in the industry.
Allain Chidzanja Jnr, a Music4Malawi alumni, contributed to the discussion by highlighting the challenges faced by creatives in building themselves as artists. He mentioned the lack of policies to protect and support artists, making it difficult for them to establish their careers successfully.
Overall, the panel discussion shed light on the need for improvements in the Malawian education system, increased investment in the creative sector, and the implementation of policies to safeguard and promote the rights of artists. The facilitator Theresa Phondo emphasizes that these discussions aim to address the challenges faced by artists and bring positive changes to the industry.
The event was graced by Malawian stars – the “who’s who”s of Lilongwe, and partly Blantyre city.
At the Music4Malawi launch event, we were delighted to showcase captivating performances by Bucci and Macelba. Their extraordinary talents mesmerized the audience and played a significant role in promoting music awareness. The inclusion of these exceptional artists added depth and vibrancy to the event, leaving a lasting impact on all attendees. Their performances served as a testament to the power of music in fostering cultural exchange, creativity, and community engagement.
Music4Malawi is a music and creative resource sharing platform, an initiative under the Kwathu Innovation & Creative Centre, operationalised by the Ntha Foundation – aiming at building capacity of Malawian artists and creatives from and based in Malawi through interactive workshops, content development and distribution as well as a music showcase event.
The 2023 Music4Malawi Edition is made possible with funding from the Sound Connects Fund, an initiative by the Music In Africa Foundation (MIAF) and Goethe-Institut. The Sound Connects Fund is made possible with funding from the ACP-EU Culture Programme, a project implemented by the Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States and funded by the European Union (EU). The Fund is also co-funded by Goethe-Institut and Siemens Stiftung.
To keep up with the conversations follow us on our social media pages:
About the Author
